Improved hand corn-planter



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M. S. ORTON, OF -GALESBURGU ILLINOIS.

vIMPRVED HAND CORN-PLANTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,928, dated March 21,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. S. ORTON, of Galesburg, in the county of Knox andState of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Hand Corn-Planter;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specioation, in which- Figure l is a side view ofmy invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section ot' the same; Fig. 3, aninverted plan or bottom view of the same.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to anew and improved machine for planting corn byhand; and it has for its object the planting of the corn in the hill ina scattered state, or with the grains or kernels at a suitable distanceapart, and by a means which admits of being operated with facility, orwith but little labor, and without the liability of becoming choked orclogged.

A represents arectangular case or box, which is provided with a slidingltop, a, to serve as a lid or cover, and has its bottom b perforated withfour holes, c, at equal distances apart, near its edge.

To the under side of the bottom b there is secured ametal plate, B,ofciroular form, which is perforated with four holes, c', correspondingin position to the holes c in the bottom b. This plate B is providedwith a lip or projection, d, at its edge, having a slot or groove madein it to receive an inclined rod, e, which is at the lower end of a rod,C, the latter working in guidesf at one side ot' the case or box A. Theupper end of the rod C is attached to one end of a handle, D, theopposite end of which is connected by a joint, g, to the top of the caseor box A. By operating the handle D the rod C is raised and lowered, andthe plate B turned first in one direction and then in the other, tocause the holes c ot' plate B to be thrown in and out of line with theholes c ofthe bottom b of the case or box A.

E E E E represent four seed-spouts, which are attached to the lower endof the case or box A. These seed-sponts are composed of two parts, h h',one part, h, beingpermanently attached to the case or box, and the otherpart, h', being attached to h by pivots or joints t'. The upper ends ofthe parts h are connected by rods j to the plate B, and as the latter isturned by operating the handleD the parts h' of the seed-spouts will beopened and closedclosed when the holes c of B are in line with the holesc of b and opened when the holes c are brought in line with or over thespouts E. When the holes o' are in line withthe holes c the former areover plates 7c, (broken awayin Fig. 3,) which project under theplateBand prevent the escape of seed from the case or box A. The holes cbecome lled with seed when they are brought in line with the holes c,and when said holes c' are brought in line with spouts E they dischargetheir seed into the spouts, the latter being open, and in openingforming cavities in the earth to receive the seed. The plate B has apin, l, attached centrally to it, which passes up through the center ot'the bottom b, and has four arms, m, attached radially to it. These armsare curved upward at their outer ends, so as not to obstruct the holesc, (see Fig. 1,) and they work or turn with the plate B, and serve asagitators to prevent'the holes c becoming choked or clogged.

Thus it will be seen that,I obtain acornplanter which may be operated byhand with the greatest facility, and which will plant the corn in ascattered state, or at a suitable distance apart in the hill to favorsubsequent growth and cultivation.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letn ters Patent- 1. Theperforated plate B, operated substantiallyas shown, in combination withthe perforated bottom b ofcase A, and seed-spouts E, arranged to openand close through the movement ot' plate B, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The arms m, applied to the pin Z of plate B, when used in combinationwith the spouts E, and all arranged to operate in thc mannersubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

M. S. ORTON.

Witnesses:

A. E. DAELING, S. B. CHAPMAN.

